Sustainable Madness, A Series of Stein Drabbles
by ExperimentalHeart
Summary: A series of drabbles about everyone's favorite mad doctor. Time period, genre and rating may vary, not to exceed T. Information will be listed at the beginning of each.
1. Teddy

**Characters: Franken Stein (child), Ms. Stein **

**Genre: I suppose this could be considered angst? I don't know.**

**Rating: K+**

When he was a little boy, he had a teddy bear he loved very much. Its name was, predictably enough, Teddy, and Stein took Teddy everywhere. His mother thought that maybe her son finally had a _normal _obsession. She had dropped him off and the park one day and returned to find his friend Spirit screaming at him. When she had asked what was wrong, he only shook his head and backed away quickly, stating that he would talk to her later. 'Later' had never come, but she had found something very strange when washing his clothing - there were traces of red stains that only continuous cold water could erase.

Teddy's story was a simple one. She had been walking with her son through a store, used to his abnormal quietness. Suddenly, they had passed a toy store and he had stopped dead, staring into the window. Confused, as he did not normally show interest in such, she had stopped as well. Following his gaze, she saw that he was staring at a gray and white teddy bear. The bear had a cheerful expression and held out its arms as if asking for a hug. A line of whimsical stitches crossed its cheeks and limbs. Looking over, she saw a slow smile appear on her son's face.

"Mama," he said softly, "can we go look at that bear? "

"Of course we can!" she had replied exuberantly, happy that her son was interested in a toy. They had entered the store together. Upon closer examination of the bear, she had found that it was very affordable and turned to him. "Do you want Mama to buy you the bear?"

"Yes, please. " he answered politely, an adorable smile on his face. That had been the deciding factor. She had immediately bought it for him.

On their way out of the building, she had turned to him and asked, "What are you going to name him, sweetie?"

"Teddy." was his solemn response. "Can I hold him? "

Back then, she had inferred that perhaps her son hadn't the greatest memory. So when she had found him lying on the floor next to Teddy, who'd been ripped to pieces and she had picked him up to sew him back together, she hadn't really been surprised when her little boy had come to her later and asked, "Where did Teddy go?" in his innocent, monotonous voice. By that time, she had pricked her fingers a painful number of times trying to put his toy back together, but she had done it. Forcing a warm smile, she had handed him back his stitched-up bear. "Teddy got sick and had to be fixed. Doesn't he look cool?"

He had merely smiled back, taking his bear. "Yes, Mama. I want to be just like Teddy someday. Or like you, because you're the best Mama in the whole world. " Then he had skipped off to play with his bear again.

Over the weeks it only got worse. She would go into her son's room nearly every other night to find stuffing littering the room, his owner's little hands clenched around the arm of Teddy. It got harder and harder for her to put Teddy back together by morning, and sometimes her fingers were so red, pained and sore that she couldn't touch anything for hours. One night she had crumpled into tears over her sewing and stayed that way until morning broke. That was the last time she was able to put Teddy back together again.

Ms. Stein faced her son three nights later with a grave face, fighting off tears.

"Mama, where did Teddy go?"

"Teddy...He went for a vacation, honey. "

The little boy waited for Teddy to come back every night, sitting up by the window as if expecting his friend to come walking down the street.

He never came back.


	2. Kohai

**Characters: Franken Stein (adult) and Maka Albarn (toddler)**

**Genre: Family, Angst**

**Rating: K+**

Franken Stein absolutely adored Spirit's little daughter. Well, in reality, it started out like vice versa. As soon as Maka was old enough to babble unintelligible nonsense, she began directing these packages of senselessness to Stein. The man was perplexed at first, as he was for most of these early encounters.

"Senpai, could you please get Maka off my leg?" Spirit had just laughed, not raising a hand to help.

"Serves you right, Stein." The mentioned scowled.

It had progressed from there. Stein would go over to Spirit's home to sit, enjoy some wine and engage in conversation, and Maka would act like it was Christmas. One day the mad doctor was sitting across from his friend when she toddled into the room, clambered onto the couch, and climbed into Stein's lap. He looked down at her, raising an eyebrow, confused by the four-year-old's actions.

"Maka, sweetheart, wouldn't you rather sit with your daddy? " She looked up at him with big green eyes, pulling on his sleeve. The toddler poked his chest with her small thumb, looking almost comically confused.

"Stein." A smile suddenly sprang to his lips and he had to struggle to keep it back. Spirit noted this and chuckled sardonically, earning him a glare. Stein turned his attention back to Maka.

"Yes, little Maka, that's my name. " Maka blinked and then grinned.

"Daddy said call you kõhai!" He couldn't hold back his smile now and tapped her nose with his index finger, making her giggle.

"Well, you know what I call your daddy?"

"What? " she asked, eyes wide with wonder.

"Senpai." he told her solemnly. "You can call him that if you want, too. " Maka nodded several times.

"You're my other daddy, kõhai." With that, she curled up in his lap and went to sleep. Stein looked up to see Spirit grinning.

"What?" he snapped. "She's cute, okay?" Spirit held up his hands defensively.

"Didn't say a word, _other daddy._ God, that's just adorable. Does this mean I have to marry you now?" he laughed, sitting down and chortling into his hands. Stein reached up to crank his screw, looking down at the sleeping Maka.

"No. Now shut up, you're gonna wake her up. " As he said this, her eyes fluttered open and she raised her tousled head, looking at Spirit with slight annoyance.

"First Daddy, you're too loud. "

Then it was Stein's turn to laugh.

Even as Maka grew older, passing five and reaching six, she requested that Franken Stein be in her life. The scientist was present at her fifth and sixth birthday parties, sitting on Spirit's left in a party hat (through no will of his own, but he had by that time learned that arguing with Maka was usually a bad idea) . Following the aging process, too, occurred more and more frequent variations of the same request.

"Daddy, can I go to Dr. Stein's house today? " Spirit always became very nervous when she asked this question, and not entirely sure how to answer.

"No, honey. Dr. Stein is a very busy man. "

It was three weeks after the tiny Albarn's sixth birthday party. The heat was not exactly sweltering, but containing enough irritant that Spirit had invited Stein over for a cool drink. Maka's mom was out on business, as she so often was. The man pushed open the door only to be greeted by a loud sigh. Blinking, he closed the door and proceeded to the kitchen, where Maka sat up on the counter and Spirit stood next to her, pouring a glass of iced tea.

"Please, Daddy? "

"No." They both looked up at the same time, spotting Stein. Spirit raised a hand in welcome.

"Hey, Stein." Maka jumped off the counter, running over to Stein and hugging his legs. Before he could react, she clutched at his lab coat, pulling herself up by it. The girl climbed up to his shoulders, swinging herself onto them and hiding her head in his hair. He looked up, puzzled, then glancing over at Spirit. The latter shrugged.

"What's wrong, Maka?" Stein asked her. The reply was muffled by his hair. "What was that? "

She looked up finally, peering over the top of his head. "Daddy and me are going to meet a man and he says I have to wear a _dress!_"

"Lord Death?" Stein asked Spirit.

"Yeah. Did you ..."

"Yeah, I'm going too. " Stein glanced up at Maka again. "Sweetie, what's so bad about a dress? " Maka scowled.

"They're too ..." Apparently unable to grasp the word she was looking for, she flailed around. He reached up a hand to steady her, chuckling.

"Better get used to it. You know, Maka, someday when you get big, you'll need a dress for something and I'll help you pick it out.~" As if on cue, her expression brightened.

"Can someday be today, kõhai?" Spirit cleared his throat.

"Maka, you should really be calling Dr. Stein _senpai _now-" Stein held up a hand.

"It's all right, Spirit. She can call me whatever she likes. " He looked at Spirit as he addressed the man's daughter, obviously befuddled at Maka's outburst. "What do you mean, Maka? "

"Can you help me pick out Daddy's stupid dress? I'll wear it then..." Spirit looked slightly offended.

"Hey..."

"Just remember, Senpai, she likes us equally well unless a dress is involved."

"Fair enough ..." Spirit looked at his daughter. "But Maka, Daddy can't go with you and Stein today. He has to go meet Mommy. " Maka nodded.

"I know. I'll be okay with other Daddy, I promise!"

"Oh, it's not you I'm worried about." the red-haired man muttered. This was probably intended to be quiet, but came out loud enough that Stein frowned. Upon seeing the brief, insulted expression that Stein wasn't able to banish quickly enough, a twinge of guilt hit Spirit. "Um, Stein, could I talk to you in the hallway for a second? "

"Sure." he murmured. Reaching up, he carefully plucked Maka from his shoulders, placing her down on the floor. "Could you make me a glass of tea?" he asked, looking her in the eye. The girl nodded and went over to the counter, climbing up to get a cup out of the cabinet. Spirit pulled Stein out into the hallway, closing the door behind them. He turned to his friend, blushing in embarrassment.

"Stein, you have to understand, it's not personal. You get it, right? " The man looked down at the floor.

"Yeah, I get it. " At the look on his friend's face, Spirit's insides set on fire, pity overwhelming him. Slowly, he stepped forward and hugged Stein. Stein, surprised, kept his arms by his sides, but gradually hugged him gently back. He pulled back after a bit, holding Spirit at arm's length, looking at him seriously.

"Spirit, I ask you to do me a favor. "

"Anything. "

"Keep in mind ...As you said, it's not personal. You know that the madness is what you're afraid of, not me. I want you to keep in mind that _I _love your daughter. " Spirit hesitated. "Spirit, as your friend, I will try to promise you- I will not hurt her. " His face was entirely solemn. The red-haired man paused for a second more, and then nodded.

"Okay, Stein. You can go with her- I know it'll make both her and you happy. On the same note, I don't want you to take this personally either...but if you hurt her, _I'll kill you. _" The doctor nodded briskly.

"Perfectly reasonable. We have a deal, then." He held out his hand to the other. Spirit shook it firmly.

"Deal. " He graced his friend with a soft smile. "Oh, and by the way, she hates neon colors. Steer clear of those." There was a small creak as the door opened next to them. Maka pushed the door open with an obvious effort. She held up a pink-tinted glass, filled up to the brim and topped with a paper umbrella.

"Sorry it took so long, Daddy, I had to find you a paper umbrella." She smiled sweetly at him. He rubbed her head.

"Thank you, Maka, that was sweet." Maka looked to her father.

"Daddy, can he help me pick out my dress?" Spirit nodded. Maka grinned.

"Thank you Daddy! " She hugged his legs. He smiled at her.

"Alright, kiddo, now go with Dr. Stein. Have fun, guys."

"We will." Stein held out his hand for Maka to hold and she took it happily. Stein nodded at Spirit, who gave him a nod in return, winking at him as the man and the little girl walked towards the door. The last thing Spirit heard before the door closed was, "Maka, after we buy your dress, I'll buy you some ice cream. "

Maka and Stein walked down the street hand in hand. The little Albarn looked up at the man happily, skipping along next to him. Stein smiled at her.

"So, Maka, what are your favorite colors? " She thought, putting a finger to her lips, humming quietly.

"Um...Purple, green and yellow! " Maka frowned. "But I don't like dresses. " Stein shrugged.

"I don't like dresses either." He laughed. "However, I'm not a girl."

The two continued on down the street, Maka chattering excitedly and Stein responding calmly. A few people were standing on the side of the road, and one of the women elbowed the other.

"Who ever thought Franken Stein would have a little daughter? "

"Oh, that's not _his_ daughter. Maka's dad is Death Scythe, but she loves Stein like a father. It's kind of cute." The first woman smiled.

"It is, isn't it?"

The two reached the strip of stores in a few minutes, looking around. There were several stores dedicated to social gatherings, and the Deathbucks was positively swamped. The stores selling clothing were further up, and Stein pointed to a brightly colored shop.

"Looks like this place sells girls' clothing. You want to go in here?" She hesitated, and then nodded. He opened the door for her and they walked in.

The store was sparcely populated and contained several sections of girls clothing. Stein steered Maka toward this part of the store. The man examined the racks critically as Maka perused them with no real purpose. He had not examined women's clothing in a long time, and had never had to shop for a little girl before. After a while, he found something that suited her. "Maka."

She came over to him, looking at the dress he held in his hand. He flipped it out to show her. Stein held a knee-length dress in a deep lilac shade, with a halter bow neck as well as thick straps. Maka blinked, and then smiled.

"Okay! Let me go try it on." The little girl took the dress from him, walking over to the dressing room. He sat down on a bench, waiting for her. A few minutes later, she came out in the dress. Maka twirled around in the dress. "I like it!" Stein nodded approvingly.

"Good. Now let's go get some ice cream, hm?"

* * *

"You're what? "

"I'm moving away, Spirit. There are too many memories here. "

"Are...Are you gonna come back? "

"If Shingami-sama necessitates it. Otherwise, no."

Spirit held his head. "Do you have any idea what this will do to Maka? " Stein looked down.

"We could simply not tell her. " From the look on Spirit's face, you would think Stein had suggested ritual cannibalism.

"Not tell her? What are you, crazy? " As Stein opened his mouth to reply, Spirit held up a hand. "Don't answer that. " He sighed, and then his irritation went away, to be replaced by anger. "What the hell, Stein? 'Too many memories '...What's that supposed to mean, you jackass?"

Stein looked down. He wouldn't dare tell Spirit the real reason he was leaving. That the insanity was slowly eating away at his mind, how the pain of keeping it restrained was almost as great as the pain he would cause others if he didn't. His one real fear was hurting someone he cared about. Maka and Spirit fell among that number.

"None of your concern." he responded coldly. "I must go pack, senpai." The man turned to go. Spirit grabbed his arm.

"You're just gonna leave? You're my best friend and you're like Maka's dad!" He fixed Stein with a heartwrenching look. "I was going to make you her godfather. "

He paused, and then wrenched his arm out of Spirit's grip. As he walked away, he called over his shoulder, "And what were you thinking, assigning that duty to a man like me? "

"Daddy!"

"I'm not your daddy, Maka." he muttered through clenched teeth.

"You were _before!" _she sobbed. "Why are you _leaving_, Daddy?"

"I have to, Maka! " Stein snapped. "I'm not your daddy!"

"But-" She hung onto his sleeve. He pulled it away violently.

"_No_, Maka!"

"Kõhai!"

She cried for weeks.

* * *

Seven years later, his phone rang. Stein picked it up, half asleep. "Hello?"

"Stein?" came the bizarrely happy voice. "It's Lord Death.~ I need you to train some aspiring students, yah? I've got several pairs of meister-weapon kids on my hands. One is Maka Albarn! " He froze.

"With all due respect, sir, I'm not exactly on the best terms with senpai at the moment. "

"Think of it as kind of a...Favor, yah?"

So he had accepted. He didn't expect her to remember him, and he wouldn't remind her if she didn't.

He would be her teacher. Not Daddy, not kõhai. Just Stein.


End file.
